After the Roof Caved In

The moving story of an Irish immigrant's life, from a poverty-stricken childhood in Ireland to becoming a captain of industry, After the Roof Caved In is a powerful, poignant look at how hard work and education enabled one young man to change his life and circumstances completely. 

Reviews

“Stand and cheer for Mike Dowling's epic journey from the hard road to the high road and for the power of an immigrant life to make a huge difference.” —Jim Dwyer, New York Times best-selling author and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner

“An extraordinary book, the most improbable life story I've read in some time. Remarkable!” —Timothy Egan, on Irish America

“There are immigrants who are very successful, then there are immigrants who split the atom. The second type are very rare; Michael Dowling is one of just two I have met. He tells a cinematic story of the small villages in Ireland that is emblazoned in his soul, alongside the account of his astonishing achievements that are rooted not in the Harvard Business School manual but in the hard lessons learned tilling that lonely Irish soil. With searing honesty, like ripping a bandage off a deep wound, Dowling recounts his childhood in an impoverished family on the perpetual cusp of danger, violence, penury, separation, and desperation. Yet somehow he did not just endure but triumphed against all odds, brought himself to America, and achieved in one generation what should have taken three. After the Roof Caved In is a stunning and important book.”  —Niall O'Dowd, author of A New Ireland

“Be you prince or pauper, Irish immigrant, Michael Dowling’s undaunted quest for higher education and a better life is a motivating primer for never giving up. His engaging story of coming to America is alive with Celtic wisdom and wit. This awe-inspiring saga is a life-changing read.”  —Dolley Carlson, author of The Red Coat: A Novel of Boston

"After the Roof Caved in: An Immigrant's Journey from Ireland to America is sure to become a memoir an entire generation of Irish Americans will identify strongly with. Michael Dowling matches Angela’s Ashes for biting truth and insight. His book charts his amazing journey from the stony fields of rural Limerick to the pinnacle of success in America. It is an extraordinary read that deserves the widest possible recognition, and a story of overcoming great adversity."—Irish Central